School of Visual Arts (SVA) recently announced a grant from the Amazin’ Mets Foundation. The grant will support a summer internship with the New York Mets in honor of the late Marc Levine (BFA 1980 Photography), the New York Mets’ chief photographer who passed away last year.

“Marc was not only an amazing photographer, he was a kind person who made everyone feel special when he photographed them,” says Alex Cohen, owner of the New York Mets and President of the Amazin’ Mets Foundation. “We are proud to support the Marc Levine Photography Internship in his honor.”

“The opportunity for an SVA BFA Photography and Video student to learn the ins and outs of sports journalism with the Mets underscores the indivisible histories of photography and baseball,” says Joseph Maida, Chair, BFA Photography and Video, School of Visual Arts. “Both the medium and the sport gained popularity in the United States during the 1840s and became central to American culture by the 20th century. Thanks to the Amazin’ Mets Foundation's support in honor of our alumnus Marc Levine, we can continue this shared legacy through a current SVA student.”

The inaugural recipient of the Marc Levine Photography Internship, Kobe Ligon, begins the 10-week paid internship this summer. Arranged in collaboration with the Visual Arts Foundation, the nonprofit that administers and manages some of the College’s scholarship funds, the internship will be available to a third- or fourth-year BFA Photography and Video student at SVA who has a strong interest in sports photojournalism.

“As a BFA Photography and Video student at the School of Visual Arts, I’ve had the opportunity to photograph a range of events,” Ligon says. “This experience has taught me how to navigate different environments while capturing genuine emotion and storytelling in unexpected places. I am inspired by the legacy of Marc Levine and how this internship seamlessly merges live sports coverage with stylized portraiture and brand storytelling. I am beyond excited to intern with the Mets Photography and Creative Content teams to document the electrifying atmosphere of Citi Field. I’m grateful that I will get to represent the SVA BFA Photography and Video Department.”

Levine, who died last July at the age of 65, had been the New York Mets’ chief photographer since 1989, documenting not only memorable plays but also major milestones, including the retirement of legendary players’ numbers and the final game at Shea Stadium, where the team played from 1964 to 2008. In the days following his passing, the Mets celebrated Levine’s life and work with tributes online and at their home stadium of Citi Field, as well as dedicating photo wells at Citi Field and the team’s spring-training facility in his memory. Levine’s contributions to the sport will be recognized again in November, when he is posthumously inducted into the New York State Baseball Hall of Fame.

The Marc Levine Internship offers the opportunity to intern with the Mets’ three-person photo team, covering home games, community events, and player programs, as well as receive a high-end camera body and lenses to keep. Applicants are asked to provide a portfolio of work for consideration, and a winner is chosen by the Mets photography department.

Since its inception in 2021, the Amazin’ Mets Foundation has funded over $16 million in grants to more than 200 organizations in the community, including the communities surrounding affiliate teams.

School of Visual Arts has been a leader in the education of artists, designers and creative professionals for seven decades. With a faculty of distinguished working professionals, a dynamic curriculum and an emphasis on critical thinking, SVA is a catalyst for innovation and social responsibility. Comprising 6,000 students at its Manhattan campus and over 43,000 alumni from some 130 countries, SVA also represents one of the most influential artistic communities in the world. For information about the College’s 30 undergraduate and graduate degree programs, visit sva.edu.